


you're all fire and war, yet you touch with such tenderness

by Cloud_Lightning



Category: The Handmaid's Tale (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cheating, Established Relationship, F/F, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Inktober, Inktober 2019, Snippets, Strippers & Strip Clubs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2020-11-23 14:22:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 20,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20893523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cloud_Lightning/pseuds/Cloud_Lightning
Summary: In another life, maybe we could've been colleagues.Or maybe more.(Rated E from chapter 17)





	1. Ring

**Author's Note:**

> yes i know im reallyyyyyy late into inktober, im so sorry

After months of planning, debating, and arguing, they finally had their long awaited vacation at Bora-Bora. At first June thought that they would probably just go to Florida and be done with it. But of course Serena Joy didn’t settle for less, she wanted to go all out. They had a savings account solely for vacation, and they also had savings for other things like mortgage, kids’ stuff, rainy days, and all that. Serena only used 40% of the vacation savings because she hoped they could have another one someday. So Serena paid the rest of it using her money.

And hey, June wouldn’t pass on a half-free vacation.

So, that’s how June was currently strumming her guitar while keeping an eye on their belongings and Serena was out there at the sea, teaching Nichole how to swim. There wasn’t many people here, really a good place to hide from the paparazzi since Serena, the face behind the famous writer known as M. Lawson, came out of the shadows when her book got adapted into the big screen.

They’ve talked about it before Serena agreed to it, and June understood the consequences, but they really, really needed the money. At least they didn’t have to worry with mortgage anymore as they already paid off all of their debt. And they can still a vacation.

June stopped playing and smiled widely as she watched Nichole running towards her, Serena hot on her tail, clearly enjoying the sun. For someone that already lived for over a decade in Boston, Serena never really got used to the cold winter of the city. Always preferring summer. Well, the sunlight made her look more ethereal, so no complains from June.

“Mommy, why don’t you come and swim with us?” Nichole asked as she flopped in front of June, drinking her orange juice.

“No, Kiddo, I’m not feeling well.”

Nichole pouted. Before she could say anything, she saw a group of kids trying to hit a watermelon with their eyes closed. “That’s soooo cool!” Nichole gasped. “Mommy, Momma, can I come closer and watch?”

“Of course, baby,” Serena bent down to kiss Nichole’s forehead. “Just don’t go too far!”

June smiled as she watched Serena trying to fix Nichole’s hair, a glimpse of light from the afternoon sun hit her face in the right way, making it look softer.

Not to mention the wedding ring adoring her finger, glinting beneath the warm sun of Bora-Bora.

Serena raised her eyebrow as June asked her to sit, Serena complied.

“Did you already make a new song?”

June laughed mockingly. “Shut up, you know I just began playing like five days ago. I’m still learning.”

Serena took a drink from the cooler, and then June touched her wrist. “What?”

All the answer Serena got was a kiss on her wedding ring, and it made her heart skip a beat.

“Why?”

June just shrugged it off and continued playing with her guitar, both hers and Serena’s wedding ring glinting underneath the sunlight.


	2. Mindless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chap rated explicit

Most people would think that Serena Joy was a prude. To an extent, in a way, they were right. But as M. Lawson, she couldn’t be like that, she forced herself to read everything, even books that she didn’t agree with. And it helped since she was such a fast reader, she read every book she could find. And she never thought some of those books could help her, other than books about gardening, but here she was.

If five years ago you had told Serena that one day she would be kneeling on the floor, naked, and currently eating a woman’s cunt like her life depended on it, she would probably slap you.

But, here she was indeed.

Serena once read a lesbian book, one being dubbed by the gay women community with the best sex scene ever written. At that time, Serena didn’t even know she was attracted to women in that way, she was just curious. Her writer's soul pushed her to buy the book, and she ended up crying after reading it. Yes, the sex scene was amazing, so detailed, but Serena couldn’t really think about that with the whole plot that was going on.

And after that, Serena secretly started buying erotica books, especially the one featuring two women (that was supposed to be the first clue that she might be interested in women in that way). Sometimes, thought about whether or not she could actually do that to another woman, or another woman pleasuring her did cross her mind, but Serena didn’t think much of it and went back to her life.

June let out another guttural groan and she raised her hips as Serena licked her clit. She lost count on how many times June had already come inside her mouth. June challenged Serena to fuck her senselessly, until June was nothing more than just a heap of a mindless body, begging for yet another release.

Serena smirked as she watched June come one more time, she stood up watching her handiwork. June indeed looked so thoroughly fucked, and she was so beautiful, sweat covering her body, and her cum was making a mess on the sheets.

Serena traced June’s cunt one last time, gathering as much wetness as she could from there. And then she put her finger in front of June’s lips, silently ordering her to lick it clean, and June did.

“Don’t ever underestimate me, June Osborne.”

June was still panting, and with every strength, she could muster, she pulled Serena on top of her and kissed her lazily.

“Maybe I would do it again if this is my reward.”

Serena rolled her eyes.


	3. Bait

It wasn’t the first time Alma did something like this, and June was sure it won’t be the last. But really, she just wanted to have a good time with her friends, not become Alma’s personal teddy bear as she hugged June tightly, thanks to Alma’s drunken state. For someone that may have a connection to the criminal world, Alma sure couldn’t hold her liquor.

“But Babyyyyyy,” Alma whined as she hugged June’s neck tighter.

“No, Alma,” June tried to let go of Alma’s grip. “What the fuck are you even doing here?”

“Ummm, this is a bar, Osborne. Everyone can come here, expect if they have a restraining order and are not allowed going inside.”

Shit, June thought Alma wasn’t in town and she could have a nice evening out with Serena on her side of the city. Not that she and Serena were together _together_, but sometimes it’s more fun to talk in public space, Serena was one of the only few people that could match up with June’s dry sense of humor. And June’s wallet couldn’t support Serena’s lifestyle, so they made a compromise. They went out to one of the best places in June’s side of town. And yes, this was the best bar in June’s standards, and she knew Serena would at least be willing to step inside this place.

“What are you even doing here on your own anyway?”

June blushed slightly, but she quickly masked it. “None of your business.”

“Ohhhhhhh,” Alma laughed as she smacked June’s shoulder. “You’re waiting for your hot date huh? What was her name? Serena?”

“She’s not my date!”

“Uh uh, sure honey. This is the best bar in town, one that’s far too expensive for just a night drink on your own, and sure as fuck perfect for a date with someone from the upper class.”

“Jesus, she’s not my date. Stop saying that.”

Yet while June said that with a scowl on her face, she checked her phone for the nth time this night. Serena did say she would come, she was just waiting for her Uber. But it’s been almost an hour and there’s no text or anything.

“What’s that? June Osborne, sexting in public? My, my, getting bolder, aren’t we?”

“Oh shut up. Just stay away from me.”

Alma pouted and took June’s drink. “Meanie.”

June sighed deeply and threw her phone to the table, angry at herself for getting her hopes up, hoping that Serena would come here. Of course she wouldn’t, fucking stupid.

* * *

“Hey, I thought you wanted to come,” June asked to the phone. She knew she shouldn’t call Serena at this hour, but she already stood her up okay, June deserved a little bit of explanation.

“No, Miss Osborne, I changed my mind.”

June froze when she heard Serena call her by her last name. Shit, what did she do now? Serena never called her by her last name, at least not like this, usually she called June by her last name when June was being an idiot.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No. I’m sure you don’t want to keep your girlfriend waiting.”

“Girlfriend, what…”

But Serena had already hung up.

It took June a while before she finally understood how Serena could come up with that kind of bizarre side remark.

“Of fuck, she saw me with Alma.”

Speak of the devil. Alma called her, and June suddenly felt her anger bubbling up within her.

“Alma, you son of a…”

“So, how’s the bait?”

“What?” June blinked.

“I didn’t get all handsy with you so that Miss Bitch didn’t notice it and get jealous.”

“What? Wait, you know she was there?”

“Yeah, is it working?”

“No, she’s all angry at me now and she thought you were my girlfriend!”

“Well, yeah, that was the bait! Go and get her.”

“No, Alma–“

But Alma had already ended the call, leaving June all alone.


	4. freeze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know im really late, dont @me

It was raining like crazy outside; everyone was running wildly trying to find shelter. Fuck the weather forecast, because thanks to them now June was soaked from head to toe and she didn’t have much time to change before her next meeting.

Just as she pulled her phone from her purse, June’s lithe body collided with someone’s.

“I’m sorry!” June said in a hurry without looking back.

“Watch where you are going.”

But she stopped. She shouldn’t stop, she has a very important meeting. But she did and June turned around to face the person.

“I already…”

June’s brain suddenly short circuited when she saw the lady standing in front of her, she looked vaguely familiar. But June was sure she would remember if she ever met this woman personally before. She was beautiful and not to mention tall, maybe she was a model. And that’s how June knew her.

Funny, she was soaking wet but her body felt suddenly hot all over under this woman’s gaze. Did she have a cold?

Before anyone could speak, someone yelled from behind them.

“Ah, Serena, I see you already met your new editor.” June’s boss said with a big (fake) smile on her face.

June looked over back and forth between her boss and her new writer. “You’re Serena Joy?”

“June Osborne, I presume?”

Well, this is going to be fun.


	5. "What, you want to build a snowman?" "No, June."

“Remind me again why we are here?” June said underneath the big tree behind their home.

“Because next week is Nichole’s birthday and she wants a treehouse,” Serena answered without looking up from her work.

June sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. When she told Serena she wanted some time alone with her wife, this wasn’t what June had in mind. June’s was more in the bedroom, just her and Serena, naked and sweating all over the bed. Not sweating out in the sun.

“Fine, just tell me what to do.”

The first time June met Serena; they were just an editor with her writer. Building a relationship with Serena was somewhat challenging to say the least. Imagine you were building a Lego house in the middle of a storm and occasionally someone would come over and knock it down. It was always one step forward and three steps back with Serena. But by some weird miracle or curse, they had some sort of friendship.

After they had established ground rules about everything, it wasn’t hard to communicate with Serena, even though the taller woman is a hassle when it comes to texting. June already told her many times that text was for short and simple messages. If she wanted to send an essay to June, that’s what e-mails are for.

Their friendship turned into something more slowly but surely. It started with Serena cooking dinner for June one night because she wasn’t done with her editing yet. They were on a tight schedule, so June thought it was better if she edited the draft there and so Serena could change it afterward. One dinner turned into two, and three, and four, until it was a norm for June to have dinner at Serena’s big and empty dining hall.

Dinner turned into late-night talks as the TV played on with soft voices as their background song while June listened to Serena talk about her books, about her ideas. Sometimes June felt there was two versions of Serena, the writer that goes by the name M. Lawson, and the one that always showed in public: Serena Joy. June felt a little blessed because she could see a glimpse of M. Lawson.

Late-night talks turned into a timid invitation to stay at one of Serena’s many empty guest rooms. At this point, Serena’s book was already finished, they just returned from the book launching, and it was late, very late to call an Uber. So June agreed with a little joke about how she wanted to test whether or not Serena’s guest bed was as fluffy as she thought it would be. June dismissed the thought about Serena’s own bed at that time, feeling improper for thinking such thing about her host.

Even after the book launched, they still kept meeting each other. June refused to call it a date because it wasn’t a date. They were just talking about books, the writers that June handled at that moment, about Serena’s garden. They never talked about feelings, thank you very much.

But then one night, June was curious about their relationship. Really, she blamed Alma for giving her such thoughts, but Alma did have a point.

“_June for fuck’s sake, you already live with her! Just ask her out!”_

_“I do not!”_

_“You have your own bedroom there!”_

_“Because Serena’s place was closer to my office, sometimes I crash there.”_

_“You guys always have dinner together. Every single day.”_

_“Free food?”_

_“Free food?” Alma sighed deeply and patted June’s shoulder. “You have the key to the house, June. You didn’t call her. You have your own key to get inside her house.”_

_“Oh. Oh shit.”_

_“There you go.”_

So June asked, and Serena was so shocked she didn’t say anything. June thought everything was about to go down in flames when she heard Serena softly ask June back, whether or not they could have something more than friendship. With a timid smile on her own, June laced her fingers with Serena’s and said yes. And if Serena wanted, they could. So Serena kissed her softly on the lips.

June thought their romance was going to be short-lived, because of how many times they clashed because of little things. It was like the first time they worked together, but with a lot of patience, compromise, and understanding, their relationship was getting stronger until one night after three years together, both of them proposed to each other.

Building a family with Serena was something that never crossed June’s mind, she thought Serena was just another writer that she had to handle on her job and be done with it. And having a kid together was a whole other level. June didn’t really like the idea at first, not that she didn’t like children, she was pretty okay with Emily’s kid, Oliver, but there’s a difference between being a cool aunt and an actual mother.

June finally agreed and even offered to carry the child; she didn’t exactly remember what made her say that. But seeing Serena’s face light up with joy was worth it. The IVF treatment worked on the first try, and those nine months weren’t a walk in the park either, especially since Serena was being too overprotective with June up to the point it was getting on June’s nerves. So after Serena learned that June could handle herself and she didn’t have to be a mother hen all over the place, the pregnancy wasn’t that bad. Okay yeah, that was a lie, it was still that bad, no, worse because June’s sensory smell was stronger than before, but hey at least she didn’t have any weird cravings when it comes to food.

And thus, Nichole Holly was born.

Now, seven years later, June was watching Serena teach Nichole how to use a hammer, she was the handy one in the relationship after all. Both of them laughed at something, and June thought, well, it wasn’t that bad, building a relationship and a family with Serena.


	6. husky

“Yes?”

June blinked a few times before she looked over to her phone, making sure she was actually calling Serena, instead of someone else. “Serena? Is that you?”

“Of course it’s me, Miss Osborne,” she sounded pissed.

“Are you okay?” June managed to stop herself before adding, _you sound a lot huskier. _And it made June tingle in weird places.

“Of course I’m fine,” she said that right before she coughed violently. God, that sounded like it hurt. “I already sent you the latest chapter, what do you want?”

June bit her lip, should she say it? Well, working for seven months with Serena, June knows better. “You’re 10 pages short.”

“What? No. Chapter 3 was only 30 pages.”

“Yes, and you only sent me 20,” June bit the edge of her pen, looking at her pc screen, Serena’s manuscript was bathed in red. “And…”

Serena sighed. “The plot is garbage?”

“Yeah.” June was relieved because now Serena was far more self-conscious and she was trying to take any criticism without being an ass anymore. Keyword, trying. But hey, at least she didn’t throw any Chinese food at June again. What a waste of good food.

Whatever Serena wanted to say was gone the moment she coughed.

“Have you taken any medicine?”

“Why would I–“ Serena coughed again, and this time followed by the sound of Serena blowing her nose.

And then silence except for ragged breathing on Serena’s part.

Finally, she sighed deeply. “No, I haven’t.”

“Well, I’m coming over.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Look, we can still salvage this chapter without making you re-write the whole thing, and still come up with the 10 pages. And our deadline is in four more days. I have to make sure you get it in time.”

“I am capable…”

“Listen, I know you are. But my neck is on the line too, alright?” June hissed, and then she sighed. “Look, for the next four days, can we just put aside our hatred towards each other and work in peace?”

June didn’t know how long she was waiting, and by god if she said no or trying to pick a fight, June would personally shove down the medicine down her goddamn throat.

“Can you buy some chicken soup?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you.” A beat, then. “June.”

* * *

June would never understand why she kept telling Alma and Moira shit about her _professional relationship _with Serena, because they would end up teasing June.

“So let me get this straight,” Moira said after she was done laughing, while Alma was still cackling like a maniac while holding Moira’s shoulder to support herself.

Fucking assholes, the bunch of them.

“You’ve been staying at her place for four days straight, basically taking care of sick Miss Bitch so that she could work on her book?”

“Yes?”

Moira burst into laughing fits.

“Please tell us at least you’re secretly fucking her.”

“What?! No, I am not!” June threw her dirty napkin at Alma. “As I’ve told you many times, there’s nothing between us! She’s my client!”

“Uh uh, sure,” Moira winked conspiratorially.

“What, she is!”

“Did you sleep with her? I mean after the whole you taking care of her? You know, for repayment,” Alma wiggled her eyebrows.

“No, Alma, I did not sleep with her!”

“June, every time we hear your stories about Serena, it’s getting pathetic, really,” Moira shook her head. “Just go and fuck her already.”

“I’m not interested in her in that way!” Denial, denial, denial, and it didn’t get any easier either.

Not after June saw how beautiful and ethereal Serena looked as the first light of sunrise caressed her sleeping face, or how she basically could sleep anywhere and in weird positions too. And the glasses, dear lord, June didn’t know that Serena was wearing ones. June almost dropped the soup when she saw it for the first time. Or the fact that her voice sounded a lot sexier when she got a sore throat, god, June had to take a deep breath as she tried to stop herself imagining a scenario where Serena could get a sore throat without having a cold.

“Look, I’m just taking care of my client so that she could finish her book and basically save my job, okay?”

“You never take care of me when I’m sick, June,” Alma pretending to wipe a tear.

“Oh, fuck off! She’s straight, okay guys? Like the straightest woman I’ve ever known.”

“I mean, spaghetti is also straight, till it gets wet.”

Alma laughed at Moira’s quip while June just buried her face into her hands. God, why did she even tell them shit in the first place anyway?


	7. Enchanted

To say June was surprised when she got a call from Nichole’s principal would be an understatement, she wasn’t the type that would do something like that. So June thought of the worst and hopefully, she could arrive there before Serena does because she didn’t want her wife to kill her for whatever Nichole has done.

But of course, Serena was already there, waiting impatiently for June. Just because they’ve been married for a decade doesn’t mean Serena tolerates June’s tardiness, well she had, once upon a time.

“Did Aunt Lydia tell you what happened?” Serena asked.

“No. I came here as soon as possible.”

Before any of them could speak, the principal’s door was opened from inside and Aunt Lydia stood at the threshold. “Mrs. Joy and Mrs. Osborne, please follow me.”

And then they saw Nichole sitting at one of the chairs inside the office.

“Nichole, darling,” Serena rushed over to her.

“Momma, I’m sorry.”

“So you want to tell us what happened?”

Aunt Lydia sat at her chair before she began. “Nichole threw an apple to at least five of her classmates and...”

June’s brow knitted. “I’m sorry, she threw an apple at her classmates?”

“And one teacher,” Aunt Lydia glared at June because she cut her off. “Claiming that the apple was poisoned like the one in the movie.”

June slapped her forehead while Serena piped up. “She did what?”

“I don’t wanna eat an apple, Momma. What if the Evil Queen poisons me?”

“Baby, Momma told you already that it wasn’t real. It was just a movie.”

June sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of her nose, looks like no more Enchanted for a while at their movie marathon nights.


	8. such a frail little ego you have

One time in a heated argument, Fred said that Serena’s ego was fragile, as fragile as a newborn baby. At first, she didn’t think much of it because she was too busy yelling at Fred because she’s not the only one with a fragile ego, and Serena knows which buttons she should push to make Fred lose it.

But now, all alone with crying baby Nichole, Fred’s harsh words came back in a flash and slapped her in the face. June was currently out of town for three days, she didn’t really want to go, leaving Serena alone with baby Nichole. That was the first strike to Serena’s ego. June didn’t think that Serena was capable of handling a three months baby Nichole.

June was patient with her, she really was. Sometimes Serena wondered what June ever saw in her, to make her stay with Serena throughout every bullshit she’s ever done to June, but here they were, a little happy family. Well, as happy as a family could with two mothers that work in the literature world, one being an editor and the other was a writer.

Everything was perfectly fine until baby Nichole started suddenly crying non-stop and Serena didn’t know what to do. She already fed her, already changed her diapers, but Nichole wouldn’t stop crying. Maybe June was right, she wasn’t capable of being a mother. June didn’t say that out loud, but her eyes said it all. After all, Nichole wasn’t born out of her womb, but June’s. June always pointed out how Serena was as much of a mother as herself despite all of that, being a mother was more than just giving birth.

June only said that because she didn’t want Serena to feel left out of course.

“Baby, don’t worry, Momma’s here,” Serena said desperately as she waved Nichole’s toy, just like the way June used to do.

But Nichole kept on crying, and Serena was on the verge of tears as well.

Maybe she was never cut out to be a mother after all. Maybe Fred was right, she wasn’t fit to be one. She didn’t have the patience; she didn’t have a soft touch and love.

Unlike June.

Maybe she should just give up and call her wife. But she didn’t want to bother June, so she called someone else. One that she knew would never judge her.

“Serena?” Her father’s worried voice calmed her anxiety for a little bit. “Did you and June have a fight again?”

“No, Daddy, no,” Serena shook her head despite her father not being able to see it. “It just… Something happened to Nichole and I…”

As if on cue, baby Nichole started crying in her room.

“Oh no, what happened Serena?”

“I don’t know. I already fed her, changed her diapers, everything. But she just…” Serena sobbed. Maybe Fred was right, she was no mother.

“Serena, do you want me to go there?”

She didn’t answer immediately, just sitting on the floor while watching baby Nichole’s crib, tears falling down her face.

“Serena?”

Serena took a deep breath a few times. “No, Daddy. I’ll just, I’ll just go to the hospital, maybe…”

“Okay, call me if you need any help, okay?”

“Okay.”

* * *

Serena knew going to the hospital was a risk since Holly worked here, but then again, it’s not like Holly was going to call June and tell her that her wife and daughter were at the hospital. Still, she was wary.

It was already late at night when she arrived, not that many patients here. It didn’t take a long time for them to examine baby Nichole, and the doctor said she could probably have colic.

When Serena asked the doctor what caused it, the doctor only said it could be numerous reasons. And really, they can’t know for sure, and seeing how baby Nichole was actually healthy, the doctor dismissed her, saying everything was fine before Serena could say anything, someone from outside spoke.

“You should just stay here, seeing you don’t look like in a condition to drive.”

Serena whipped her head around and saw Holly standing there, her heart beats faster and suddenly she felt really small. “Holly, I didn’t see you there.”

“May I read it?” Holly pointed to Nichole’s examination chart.

“Yes, of course,” Serena said in a heartbeat.

Holy dismissed the doctor and now she sat where the doctor was once. “Colic is a pain in the butt, you can stay here and let baby Nichole rest here as well. She hasn’t cried since she arrived, yes?”

“Yes, uh, she hasn’t.”

“Well, just stay here and get the rest you deserve. You look like…” She looked over to baby Nichole. “You look like someone that needs fifteen hours of sleep.”

“Don’t we are all?” Serena chuckled.

Not that she had a bad relationship with Holly, but she didn’t have a good one either. It was more like a neutral relationship. Now Serena was really worried that Holly might call June and tell her what happened.

But as Serena carefully took baby Nichole into her arms and followed Holly to her on-call room, Holly said nothing. They made a detour first to take a baby cot from one of the rooms, Serena just followed Holly anywhere because she was the hospital’s director, she knew where to go.

They finally arrived at Holly’s on-call room; it was on the far side of the hall. “You and Nichole can sleep here. You can call me or the others if Nichole starts crying and we’ll handle her.”

Serena gingerly put baby Nichole on the cot.

“And don’t worry, I won’t tell June about this.”

Serena smiled a little. “Thank you.”


	9. s(w)ing me a lullaby

June raised her eyebrows when she saw the swing set already set in place even after the disaster yesterday. The instruction manual they got was in Japanese, and none of them could read it. Fucking Alma and her fucking cheap deals. God, June was lucky Serena didn’t kick her out last night because she was at fault too, leaving June to deal with fucking Alma. Good thing Nichole find this whole mess funny and made her determined to study Japanese.

Well, at least something good came out of it.

“Mom, Mom, look!” Nichole said from the kitchen, waving her tiny hands. “Momma just finished the swing set!”

June adjusted her grocery bag and went inside. “Yeah baby, I see that.”

“That would be the last time I tell you to buy furniture on your own.”

June rolled her eyes, but she was smiling a little as she saw Serena emerge from behind the garage. She was sweating, wearing just her short pants and a tank top.

“It was 80% off!”

“With instructions written in Japanese!”

“Well, I didn’t know that.”

June dropped the grocery bag on the kitchen counter, Nichole started helping her with it.

“Don’t ever buy anything from Alma. Again. No matter how big the discount is.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Is Alma in trouble?” Nichole said as she looked back and forth between her mothers.

“She is,” Serena sighed. “What do you want for dinner, darling?”

“What do you want, Mommy?”

June bit her lip when Serena threw daggers at her. “Ummm, fish?”

Serena smiled a little, and June sighed in relief.

“Oh, Momma, can you make that fish just like the one we had at Oliver’s house?”

“I’ll try baby,” Serena kissed Nichole’s head. “Slyvia is a better cook than I am.”

“That’s not true,” both June and Nichole said.

“You both said that so you can have more serving.”

The mother-daughter duo just smiled widely.

“Can I trust you to chop some vegetables, June?”

June pouted. “Fine.”

“Sometimes I wonder if I actually have two daughters instead of one.”

“Go and take a shower, you stink.”

Serena shook her head and kissed June briefly on her lips. “Just don’t burn our kitchen, please.”

“How can I burn down our kitchen with a knife?”

“Don’t you remember Mom?” Nichole said with concern. “All of the teachers in my schools were so worried.”

Serena chuckled while June pouted. God, sometimes June wondered whether Nichole was really born from her womb or Serena’s since she’s so much more like Serena instead of her. People were always surprised that Nichole was born from her, instead of Serena. It was always a sort of insecurity for June. Not that she would say it out loud to her wife, or even to anyone. But then again, even without her telling Serena, she was pretty sure Serena was aware of it.

At first, June wasn’t really on board with the whole idea of having a baby. It was hard enough to earn a living for the two of them, and a baby was a drain for their money, whether Serena would admit it or not. It’s not like their job was stable enough. Yeah sure, sometimes Serena’s book was a hit, and they would eat well for a while. But what happens when the royalties run out? And her own job was teetering on the balance? Because the publishing world was dying today. You can publish your own book these days, all you need is an Amazon account and you’re set.

Before they had Nichole, Serena was one of the most famous writers. Well, she still is, but then they had Nichole and Serena had to postpone her career to take care of their daughter. A year before Nichole started kindergarten, June asked Serena to start writing again. It was hard to be a breadwinner for three people in this economy. And at that time there was downsizing in June’s company, and she didn’t know whether she was on the list or not.

Sure, she survived this turn. But who knows what the future holds. And when Nichole started growing up, there were a lot more things that she needed. So, the writer M. Lawson was back in the market again. Oliver was delighted when she gave him her first book after years of hiatus. June’s heart always flutters every time she sees that book, Serena dedicated it to her wife and daughter. Not to mention the whole plot was about a little girl and her two mothers.

Subtle, real subtle Serena.

“Mommy, don’t cut off your finger!”

“What?” June blinked a few times. “Sorry, I was in a flashback.”

Nichole giggled. “Remember what Momma said? No flashbacks in the kitchen. That’s how our kitchen got burn down, remember?”

June laughed and ruffled her hair. “Don’t tell Momma and I’ll give you two scoops of ice cream tomorrow.”

“Three scoops.”

“Wow,” this is pure Serena’s cunning at work. “Fine, you little shark.”

Nichole stuck her tongue out.

* * *

Serena heard footsteps from the kitchen towards the backyard just after she came out from the bathroom, followed by two giggling voices.

Serena toweled her hair as she looked over to their garden. Of course, June couldn’t sit still and chop the vegetables, now she was out there, trying the swing set with Nichole. She smiled when she heard Nichole laughing in delight as June pushed her.

Even after almost a decade together, Serena still couldn’t believe June was still here with her. Catering to her every need without too much complaining, okay she did complain a lot, but she did it anyway. Sometimes she wonders whether she was too selfish or not with June. But every time she asked her this, June would just smile and kiss her.

She knew she was. Nichole was proof of that. June was adamant at the start against having a child, citing the economic reason, which was very reasonable, but at that time, Serena didn’t want to hear it. Even after her father stepped up and dealt with all their shit, and by that it means Serena running away to Thomas’ home at three in the morning for a few days before Thomas told her to go home and apologize to her wife.

June finally agreed doing the IVF, but on a term that Serena was the one paid and carried the baby since it was her idea in the first place. Serena blindly agreed and nearly destroyed her life savings, and not one of the treatments worked on her. But despite that, June was always there for her, even though she didn’t understand the whole ‘baby craze movement’ Serena had.

Serena hoped that June would never know why. It was such a pathetic excuse, but that’s all she could think of to make June stay with her forever.

Before she was married to a man named Fred. It was a short-lived marriage because Fred couldn’t give her what they wanted the most: a baby. While they parted ways amicably, there was always an undercurrent of bitterness that it could’ve been better if they have had a baby. Because Fred always promised to be with her, because they promised each other to be together till death do them apart.

That’s why she was trying so hard to keep June at her side. She couldn’t lose someone again. And she knew June would never leave her if they have a baby together. June wasn’t that kind of person.

On the tenth attempt, Serena almost lost hope for everything. Hell, she was ready to burn down everything even her relationship with June because June did nothing to help her, which was bull since June’s saving was almost gone because of her desire to tie June to her forever. She remembered she was crying in their bathroom, like usually when the test came up negative. The shower was pouring down on her back, but she didn’t care that her clothes were clinging on her body.

She remembered June calling her name and running to the bathroom in a hurry, she remembered June’s concerned face and sadness on her eyes. She remembered the firmness of June’s hug as they embraced under the shower, and June trying to calm her down. She didn’t remember how long they were there because all she remembered was that June finally offered to carry the child.

At that point, Serena didn’t care who carried it and a part of her was elated because June would have a better bond with the child if she was the one that carried the baby. Sometimes she felt so disgusted with herself, for thinking like that every time she saw Nichole and June playing together. But then Nichole would come up to her and ask her to give her a piggy ride back and June smiled at them.

“Mom, higher!” Nichole’s yell pulled Serena’s back from the trip down the memory lane.

“No, any higher and you’ll be flying to the fence and Momma will be angry at me and Momma will kill me!”

“Awww, come on. I won’t tell!”

“Yeah, if you get hurt, you don’t have to tell her, baby,” June said between her laugh.

“You’re lame.”

“You’ll thank me when you’re older for not having a scar on your face.”

“Booooo.”

Serena muffled her cries with her hand as she watched June and Nichole playing with the swing set. She fell to her knees, body trembling for carrying this dark secret all these years. And she didn’t know how much longer she could take before everything went down in flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls i just want to see yvonne's arms and abs....


	10. pattern

It has been too long since the last time someone touched Serena this way, tender and so full of love. The last person that touched Serena with such yearning was Fred and that was long before their marriage crash and burn because of Serena’s selfish reasons. Ever since then, Fred’s touches were nothing more than just the duty of a husband to his wife.

But now June was here with her, tracing patterns using her tongue on Serena’s quivering thigh, so close and yet so far away from the spot she wished June would touch.

Serena let out a strangled moan when June bit her thigh. “June.” She was getting impatient, and June knew that, but she just smirked that goddamned smirk.

“Relax, trust me, okay?”

Before Serena could say something, June kissed the spot she just bit tenderly, and then, finally, finally, she licked Serena’s part that ached for June’s touch.

June loved to trace patterns on Serena’s naked body, sometimes it’s just some idle pattern, sometimes she wrote her name or Serena’s–sometimes when June’s feeling juvenile she would make a heart between her name and Serena’s–and sometimes, June would write something that Serena would’ve guessed she never had the courage to say it out loud. At least, a little part of her wished _not yet_.

Like now, June was tracing something on Serena’s strong back, and Serena gasped when she realizes what June just wrote. She turned around, watching June looking at her with soft eyes and a tender smile. Serena cupped her face and touched June’s lips. She wanted to say the words, but she wasn’t brave enough. June was always the braver between the two of them.

So instead, Serena traced the same words on June’s chest.

_I love you_

And then she kissed June’s chest.


	11. snow

Serena didn’t really like winter, she never understood the appeal of said season. She would prefer summer, and usually, June would look at her like she was Lucifer herself. Maybe she was, in a way. But being with June means learning how to love winter, and especially snow. She always loved it when the first snow fell, June would look up to the sky with a big smile that made Serena’s heart ache.

So really, it wasn’t a surprise when Nichole would do the same as June. Now the three of them were at their backyard, enjoying the first day of winter. Well, more like Serena only sat at the porch, watching June and Nichole playing at the backyard. Everything started to become white as far as Serena’s eyes could see.

She held her steaming mug tighter, hoping it would help her fight the cold. Maybe snow wasn’t that bad, Serena thought as she smiled at her wife and daughter.


	12. princess wants a dragon, not a prince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the story from chapter 11 and this one is from the same universe i guess

“June, Nichole, are you guys ready?” Serena yelled out as she put her earrings.

All the answer she got was giggling and a series of out of tune guitar. Serena rolled her eyes and walked out of the room.

Ever since June became obsessed with playing guitar, their house was always filled with an out of tune guitar melody. Not to mention Nichole started to play it as well, even when June was not around. Especially when June was not around, so she could show her progress to her mom.

In a way, Serena should blame Alma for this, for teasing June because she never serenades Serena with a guitar, even back when they were still dating. Why would you do that when you could just make a mixtape back then, and now you could just make a playlist in Spotify for them. (which was what June always did, she always added something new to the playlist she created for Serena. And sometimes Serena felt bad because she never updated her playlist for June, because she’s the type of person that always listened to the same song for at least a week, maybe more. Where June always find the most obscure yet amazing songs, it was one of her many talents, perhaps).

Now she was obsessed with that guitar, and not to mention June had a decent voice. It was nice to see and listen to her singing and playing guitar with Nichole at the end of the day. It made Serena feel safe and content.

“No, Mommy, that’s not how you play it!” Nichole giggled.

“Oh, really? Alright then, sweet pea, show it to me, since you’re such a genius with a guitar now.”

“No, I can’t play it, Mom.”

“But then you just said that I’m playing it wrong.”

Serena rolled her eyes when she saw her wife and their daughter were still sitting on the floor, hair messy and haven’t taken a shower yet. Hell, even their dirty dishes were still at the table. Serena was pretty sure June said she would take care of it, but look at what happened now.

“June.”

Both of them froze in place.

“Oh-oh,” Nichole giggled.

“You too, young lady.”

“Oh-oh,” June mocked.

“Shut it.” Serena glared. “You, go wash the dishes. Nichole, darling, go and take a shower, please. The traffic will be a nightmare by the time you two are done.”

Nichole pouted but she still stood up. “Fineeee. If it wasn’t for my dragon plushie, I would never…”

“Now.”

Nichole grumbled under her breath and walked away, leaving her mothers.

June still had her back to Serena, still wearing the white t-shirt and red plaid sweatpants that she stole from Serena; she rolled the pants legs around her ankle.

“June.”

“Yes, sweet love?”

“Don’t sweet love me. Go and do the dishes.”

June sighed and put away the guitar. “Do I have to?”

“Yes if you want to fuck me tonight.”

Without saying anything, June was out in a flash from the living room, only stopping to try to kiss Serena, but she pushed her away.

“No, you can kiss me later after you brush your teeth.”

“Meanie.”

Just when Serena thought June was done teasing her, her wife just smacked her ass.

“Hey!”

June smirked and walked away.

Serena shook her head, wondering what made her fall in love with her in the first place.

* * *

“You blamed me and Nichole for being late, but you spent ten minutes yelling at people for stealing ‘your’ parking spot.”

“I can hear the air quote, June.”

“Good. She’s an old lady, Serena. Let her have that spot.”

“And wait for another twenty minutes? In this freezing Boston winter?”

“God, you’re such a baby. You’ve been staying here for like 15 years, and you’re still not used to Boston’s winter?”

Serena sighed and looked wistfully around. “I miss the beach.”

“Aren’t you a country girl?”

“Do you think we don’t have beaches?”

“No?”

“Well, you’re right. It’s mostly streams and rivers. The point is I miss the mild weather.”

“Says the one that’s standing on the edge of a rock in the middle of a freaking thunderstorm and having a smoke. How did you even lit your cig?”

“It’s a vape,” Serena whispered.

June gasped and slapped Serena’s arm. “You liar! I thought you have some sort of hidden power.”

“Of course not. It’s a vape. It’s a chocolate flavor.”

At the mention of chocolate, Nichole turned around and faced her mothers. “Mom, I want chocolate.”

“No, honey, it’s bad for your teeth.”

“Says someone that smokes chocolate.”

“That’s not how vape’s work.”

“I’m getting the divorce papers.”

“No, don’t get a divorce, Mommies!” Nichole stopped walking, making June and Serena almost walk right into her. “Mark’s parents are divorcing and he’s having a hard time spending the weekend with his parents.”

“No, no, no, baby, I’m just kidding. Mommy’s joking.” June comforted Nichole. But then she looked over to Serena and whispered. “But I’m the one that’s getting every week.”

* * *

Serena and June groaned at the same time as Nichole just left them standing in front of the store, Serena already rushing over her while June was taking her time checking the other isles and watching people shopping. This place turned into a battlefield, June saw at least three crying children and dozens of parents fighting over an item. Those movies about Christmas shopping weren’t too exaggerated, it was real.

“Momma, look!” Nichole said with a giggle as they walked past an empty display case of what’s supposed to be toys from Serena’s newest book. “People love your….”

Serena shook her head, telling her to stop. As much as she loved her writer's fame, she would rather not have M. Lawson getting mixed up with Serena Joy’s normal life.

Nichole, thank god, understood what her mother meant. So she just said. “Ohhhhhhhhhhhh… People love your favorite book too!”

Serena nodded and smiled with pride. “Of course. M. Lawson is a talented writer after all.”

Nichole giggled while June groaned next to Serena.

“God, what a fucking narcissist.”

Serena bended down to whispered directly into June’s ear. “Yes, but you want to fuck this narcissist,” she traced her long and enticing neck, touching her pearl necklace. The one June bought for their 10th wedding anniversary. “Especially this narcissist only wearing this necklace and writhing beneath you.”

June walked face first into a giant teddy bear, while Serena just smiled wickedly and walked away.

* * *

Serena promised Oliver she would buy him a dinosaur toy set, and since it was on the other direction of Nichole’s isle, she told June to handle everything. She wished her wife could become a responsible adult for once.

“NO, THAT’S MY BABY’S DRAGON!”

Or maybe not.

Serena froze in place as she saw June chasing a younger woman. “SERENA, STOP HER!”

She noticed the younger woman was gripping the dragon plushie Nichole wanted. Oh no. There was no way she would let this woman get away with that. So Serena tackled the woman while screaming from the top of her lungs. She didn’t care if anyone saw her, she would do anything for Nichole, even if it means making a fool of herself.

“Young people these days!” June hissed as she yanked the dragon plushie from the woman’s hand. “Have no respect for their elders!”

“Lady you’re not much older than me!” the woman beneath Serena hissed. “Get off me!”

June helped her wife stand up while eyeing the younger woman scrambling away while muttering under her breath.

“June, where’s Nichole?”

All the triumph was drained from June’s face, replaced with horror. And now both Serena and June sprinted back to the place where she left Nichole, with the dragon plushie in hand.

Both of them were out of breath by the time they got back, Nichole thankfully was waiting at the same place. And she was holding the dragon plushie, the same one that her mothers stole from the woman before.

“Baby, Nichole,” June was still out of breath.

“Where did you get that?”

“Mommy, I told you we can just ask the lady if there’s another one.” Nichole raised the dragon plushie. “She’s not a favorite character, so her toys weren’t really a big hit and there’s always leftovers.”

“Even at a time like this?” Serena asked bewildered.

“Yes. Because the dragon’s psychical appearance is ugly,” Nichole said sadly as she hugged the plushie tightly.

“Oh.”

Serena forgot that the dragon actually only had three legs, it lost the front leg in a big battle before canon, and how its wing was considered too small for a dragon that big, that’s why it couldn’t fly with the other dragons. The leftover.

June took one deep breath before saying. “God, so all that running was pointless.”

“Jesus, you could’ve asked first, June.”

“Shut up.”


	13. ash

Standing in front of the ashes of the Waterfords’ house was something that June would never imagine. Well, she did imagine burning the place down once or twice, but never in her wildest dreams, she thought that it’d be Serena that burned it down.

June watched all the commotions happening outside with a blank face, but her eyes always returned to Serena every once in a while, she leaned over to Rita for support, just like she did with June while the two of them were trying to get out from the house. She wondered what the Waterfords would say about this incident? They would probably chalk it up to the baby gone missing craziness, June knew she would.

She looked over to the burning building behind her once again, faintly she could smell cinnamon. Huh, she knew Rita was hiding that cinnamon. Bastard, she thought being pregnant could get her anything, but then maybe Rita didn’t just want to waste a good cinnamon since usually after June asked Rita to put some cinnamon in her tea, June would just vomit it out. Apparently, she just loved the smell, but not the taste.

What did they say? Phoenix raises from its ashes? She imagines what could arise from this place. Well, June prays to God no Phoenix nor Lucifer raise from these ashes.


	14. overgrown

Of all the places she could visit, June didn’t understand why she chose this. Not to mention she was supposed to be dead, technically she was dead.

Every plant inside Serena’s greenhouse was overgrown, it was more like a jungle than a normal greenhouse. June touched one of the potted plants, everything was dead or overgrown.

Expect one.

That goddamn white rose.

Leave it to Serena Joy to twist something so pure and innocent into something evil and disgusting.

A new beginning my ass, June thought to herself as she wobbled to the desk where the white rose stood tall. Recovering from being shot was no walk in the park, sometimes June wondered why she survived such attack. God had a funny sense of humor, maybe.

June grabbed the potted plant and threw it to the wall, shattering it.

“Eat your new beginning in jail, Serena.” June sneered to the emptiness of the greenhouse.


	15. Legend

Lawson was a legend in the literature world. The publishing company did a good job in selling the mysteriousness surrounding the legend. But it has been over a decade since the last time M. Lawson had a new book, everyone started to forget about them. They didn’t have any social media whatsoever. Tons of people claiming to be the one and only M. Lawson but soon it was uncovered that they were nothing but a fraud.

Until one day the publishing company made a big announcement, the return of the legend themselves, M. Lawson. But when the pubic asked whether or not M. Lawson would do a book reading, the company said no. M. Lawson never showed their face before and their book’s still a hit, so why start now?

“What did you even tell them to make them stop pestering you to do a book reading?” June asked out loud after she closed the tab about M. Lawson newest book launching.

“I told them that I would find a new publishing company, easy as that.”

“Huh.”

“Okay, red dress or blue?” Serena walked out from their walk-in closet, holding said dresses.

June titled her head to the side. “Blue. You know you look good in blue.”

“Alright. Can you please…”

Before Serena could finish, someone opened their door. “Mommy, Momma, come on!”

“Nichole, darling, please be patient.”

Nichole pouted and climbed to the bed and sat with June.

“Momma needs to look good for the night, baby,” June said as she kissed the top of Nichole’s head.

“But no one knows that she is the M. Lawson. What’s the point?”

“Only important people know the truth.”

“So we’re important people, Mommy?”

“Of course you are,” Serena said as she walked out. “Both of you are my family.”

“Momma, you’re pretty!” Nichole turned around to see June. “Mommy, isn’t she beautiful?”

“Of course she is. I married her.”

“Good to know you married me just for my looks, Mrs. Osborne.”

Nichole hastily climbed down from the bed. “Come on, Moms, we’re gonna be late!”

“Always so impatient, I wonder where she gets it from.”

“Always so funny, aren’t you?” Serena asked as she walked over to the bed and kissed June on the lips lightly. “Come on, our daughter is right, we’re going to be late.”

“Alright.”

June took Serena’s outstretched hand to help her stand up.


	16. Wild

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me, writing again because of the covid19 and being jobless? more likely than u think. also, stay safe guys

“Not going to lie, when you said wilderness, I honestly thought you’re going to drag me to go out full on camping.”

Serena chuckled as she threw another log into the fireplace. “June, please, I know you. You would never agree to do that no matter how much I coax you into it.”

“Yeah and sex on the ground like that is weird.”

Serena walked over to the couch and sat next to June, their legs touching. “I figure we need a break from the city once in a while.”

“But you already checked there’s no serial killer in hiding around here right? Or ghosts?”

“No, June. This place is safe and there are lots of people here. We still have electricity; we still have signal and landline, so we’ll be fine.”

“Alright, but if a serial killer suddenly shows up, I’m going to sacrifice you and run away.”

“You would really leave your girlfriend alone huh?”

“Of course.”

“And people said I’m the heartless one.”

“Well, you’ve got to be rubbing off on me.”

Serena just bumped her hips into June’s. She never thought June would agree to go to the cabin with her since she knew June was such a city girl, she would rather have vacation at home rather than going into a place like this. Serena was curious of course, why her girlfriend agreed to come here in the first place, but she would rather enjoy it before June changed her mind and leave her alone here.

“But it’s weird though,” Serena said out loud.

“What?”

“There’s no mirror here.”

June shrugged. “Babe, you’re the one that picked this place.”

“Babe?”

June never called her babe, ever. They talked about what nickname they could use for each other, and Serena told June that she didn’t like being called babe, and June agreed to never call her that. Not unless she wants to sleep on the couch.

“Yeah, why?”

“You know I don’t like being called ‘babe’, right?”

For a second, Serena thought she saw a wild, manic gleam in June’s eyes, the one she never saw before. But Serena thought she was just hallucinating it.

“Yes, yes, sorry.” June laughed a little. “Looks like I really need this vacation more than I thought I was.”

Serena blinked a few times, yeah, maybe she did.

* * *

Unbeknownst to her, something else took June’s place and trapped the real June within the mirror word.


	17. Ornament

Serena should’ve blamed that tacky ornament, that damn mistletoe. But really, she was pretty much to blame because she was trying to get into the holiday spirit by going to her publisher’s Christmas party. No, it wasn’t her fault; she was trying to be nice. It was Fred’s. If only her soon-to-be-ex-husband could keep it in his pants, she would not catch them having sex on their bed, the one they bought with her money no less! Asshole!

But of course, he couldn’t and now Serena had a nightmare of her husband with another woman.

If Fred didn’t do it, she wouldn’t come to that horrible party with tacky decorations all over the place, cheap wine, and mediocre food at best.

If Philippa from the accounting didn’t fuck Fred, Serena would probably go home to her empty house and mundane marriage, and not trapped within cheap motel surrounded with a bunch of adulterers on Christmas morning.

If it weren’t for that revealing red dress Philippa wore three days ago, Serena should’ve been relaxing on her tub with actual hot water, drinking the best wine her money could buy and reading a good book, not taking a shower at some dingy bathroom with their so-called hot water at two in the morning.

It was all Fred’s fault…

Serena stopped her mulling when someone hugged her from behind, as naked as she was, prepping lazy kisses all over her back.

“Hogging all the hot water now, Mrs. Waterford?”

If it wasn’t for Fred cheating on her, Serena would never stand underneath that ugly mistletoe with her ex-editor, June Osborne, and June would never have kissed her.

Serena shook her head and turned around to face a very naked June. “Just Miss Joy is enough, Miss Osborne,” she said before capturing June’s lips.

“Well, since ‘tis the season of Joy and all that,” June smirked and pushed Serena until her back hit the wall, making Serena gasp at the impact.

If it weren’t for her secret crush for her ex-editor, that simple kiss would not make Serena wanting for more, and thus making her spending the evening looking for the shorter blonde, and boldly pulled her out of the room, finding some dark and secluded corner before kissing June over and over again until June proposed the idea of the two of them finding a cheap motel somewhere to satisfy their needs.

If it wasn’t because of her forgetting the gift for June, she would not saw Fred and Philippa fucking at home, thus she wouldn’t be here, writhing under the cold shower of some cheap motel with June kissing her and fucking her lazily as if they have all the time in the world and not just some stolen few hours before the sunrise.

Yeah, it was all that damn mistletoe’s fault.


	18. Misfit

Serena vowed to never, ever, contact Naomi again, no matter the circumstances. Because Naomi was sad after her divorce, she called up the whole gang to come with her, to help her cheer up again. Serena, being _a really nice friend_, agreed to come and didn’t ask any questions. And that was her first mistake.

Because she didn’t ask, now she was stuck at some strip club, all of her friends, including Naomi, acting like some frat college boys that never saw a real woman before and kept cheering at the strippers. Serena heard someone was complaining about their group, but one of the strippers said it was fine, it wasn’t the first time a group of straight women came here after their divorce, plus Naomi tipped very well and they haven’t done something inappropriate.

But still, Serena didn’t know what to do, so she just sat near the door of their private room, while the others and Naomi cheered and making it rain.

Serena sighed before she drank her drink. Dear Lord, how many strippers does this place have? Serena could count at least three semi-naked women on the stage, where Naomi was throwing her hard-earn money from the divorce. But one caught Serena’s attention, she was blonde, probably she was shorter than Serena. But then again, she was above average. There was something about the way she moved, so fluidly, and her smirks, god what an annoying smirk. Serena wants nothing more than to wipe it off.

When their eyes, that damn smirk was like Cheshire cat’s smile, or perhaps, a Joker’s smirk. Every alarm inside Serena’s head goes off the moment she noticed that the stripper was walking toward her, _Naomi and the group _was no help, since they were just cheering loudly when they realized what was about to happen.

Serena’s body went rigid when the stripper suddenly straddled her, everyone in the room cheered loudly. _Traitor, _Serena thought to herself. Oh god, her body was so warm and slick, maybe because of the sweat, it was pretty hot in here.

“Relax,” the stripper said as she took Serena’s glass and placed it on the table behind her.

“I never did this before,” Serena blurted out.

_Too close, too close._

“I noticed,” the stripper chuckled, and then she placed her hands on Serena’s broad shoulders. “And remember–“

“No touching, I know,” Serena said quickly, too quickly if the stripper’s smile was any indication. Funny, the striper wasn’t beautiful–by society standard–but she was interesting, captivated, maybe that was her charm.

“The name’s Cecilia, you?” Oh, her hands were so soft, Serena closed her eyes and let Cecilia run her fingers through her hair.

Serena gulped; she could just push Cecilia away, right? But then Naomi and the others were busy hollering at her, at them. Is that even her real name? She wanted to lie, but then Naomi has been screaming her name ever since Cecilia jumped down from the stage. So what’s the point in lying, right? Plus she was sure she wasn’t the only Serena in Boston.

“Serena.”

Cecilia smiled coyly at her. “Well then, Serena, nice to meet you.”

“Well, it could be nicer if you didn’t have your breast right in front of me,” Serena mumbled as she looked away, Naomi and the others already back on the stage, leaving her and Cecilia alone. Bastard, the lot of them.

Cecilia chuckled and started moving her hips in sync with the heavy thump of the music. “Relax, Serena, I’m not going to bite you, unless you’re into that.”

Serena felt her cheek warm, no she did not just imagine Cecilia bite the side of her jawline and lick it teasingly. No. “No.”

“Well, that’s too bad.”

“Are you?”

“Would you like me to?"

She didn’t know what to say, and she was trying to stop her imagination running amok with the imagination of her biting the column of Cecilia’s neck. “That’s not an answer.”

“I’m not obligated to answer,” Cecilia grinds her hips down.

Serena took a deep breath and closed her eyes, praying to God to give her strength to face this test. This is going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> does this count as misfit???


	19. Sling

“Maybe now you’re going to stop being an idiot for five minutes, Miss Osborne,” Serena said with venom as she helped June open her front door.

“Jesus, Serena, it was a fucking accident! I fall from the stairs!”

“You should’ve been careful when you’re walking!”

“Maybe I could if only you weren’t being an ass and sending those long-ass text messages!” June threw the keys to the bowl on top of the small table they bought together three months ago. “Text message is for short text, Serena, not sending a fucking essay!”

“Can you stop being so crude?”

June cradled the sling on her right hand, it was a miracle she just broke her arm. God, she wished she got a concussion instead. “It’s just the word fucking, Serena. I thought you liked saying that.”

_“Fuck,” Serena sank her teeth to June’s shoulder to muffle her cries of pleasure._

_Something was clearly wrong with her because when her husband, friends, and family was just three doors away, Serena was busy fucking around with June, her old editor. Her red dress was pulled to her hips, giving June enough room to fuck her._

_“That’s what I’m doing, Serena,” Even if she couldn’t see June’s face, Serena was sure June was smirking when she said that. Of course, she did, three fingers knuckle-deep inside Serena’s cunt._

_Serena yanked June’s hair, making her hissed in pain, but her smirk indicated something else entirely. “Don’t start now.”_

_She ignored the glint from her wedding ring._

_“Of course, we don’t want the host of this party to walk around feeling horny, aren’t we now?”_

_Just like the way June ignored her own engagement ring._

_“Fuck me harder,” Serena growled. “Or leave this party.”_

_“So bossy,” June chuckled darkly before nipping Serena’s collarbone, drawling out a long strangled moan from Serena. “Made me wish I brought the gag ball, you look prettier with it after all.”_


	20. Tread

Working with Serena Joy means June has to be extra careful not to step on her toes because everything that she does somehow always offends Serena.

_She should take out that stick up her ass._

It took them six months to finally reach a somewhat civil work relationship when Serena realized that it’s okay to just send the script with email instead of using an actual paper, and June tolerating Serena’s need to listen to gospel songs while they’re meeting to discuss the chapter (June found out later that the singer was actually Serena’s mother).

Sure, June was good when it comes to treading water with Serena Joy. She’s not complaining, far from it, actually. June was content from not having a shouting match with the taller blonde.

But, when there’s an opportunity to take their relationship into the next step, June won’t say no either. It would be nice to have a friend like Serena. Come to think of it, was Serena even a friend?

June imagined their next relationship was something along the line where June could easily leave a comment on Serena’s Instagram post without wondering whether it’s okay or not, or maybe Serena would cook something for her on a daily basis, not just once in a blue moon.

What June didn’t imagine, but secretly hope, was how it actually turned out.

With her flushed and panting beneath Serena while the taller blonde was busy licking June’s cum from her long and slender fingers.

Yeah, June absolutely didn’t mind with the way their relationship was heading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have no idea what to do with tread, so this happened


	21. Treasure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *one year later* When will this show return from war anyway?

What could you give to a woman that could have everything? A woman that could easily buy anything she wanted?

June sighed deeply and bit her pen, fingers tapping her mouse, eyes never leaving her work PC, currently settled on Amazon homepage. She was planning to buy a new bookshelf for Serena since her old one was already full of books and little trinkets she bought during her book reading tour across the country and Europe. But June was sure Serena would probably either build one herself or buy an antique bookshelf at the thrift store.

She tore her gaze away from the monitor to look at her wristwatch, thirty minutes until lunch break. Serena said she could be a little late for their lunch date, June still got butterflies inside her stomach every time she thought about Serena and dated in the same sentence, so they should just meet up at June’s office and she’ll bring the food since it’s her turn to pay for their date. Serena probably bought something expensive.

June rubbed her face tiredly, god since when buying presents for birthdays was so goddamn hard? But then again, she’s not really one for stuff like a birthday. But then on her birthday, Serena bought that strapless strap-on when she asked June what she wanted for her birthday. At first, June was just joking, because really, what more could she ever want? But then Serena was looking at her dead in the eye and June knew it’s not a laughing matter to her, so June thought, _ well, what the hell, might as well ask something that could be beneficial for the both of us. _

And good god, it was the best decision June has ever made in her life, next after asking Serena out for a coffee date.

June rubbed her chin, she did ask Serena what she wanted for her birthday, but Serena just said she didn’t need anything. And when June kind of pressed her, she said she wanted to tie June up, fuck her senselessly, and not letting June to cum for at least four hours. June just blinked when Serena said that, but then of course she had to smirk and challenged June, and she goddamn knew that June Osborne never backed down from a challenge.

Now, even though that sounds amazingly good, June wanted something more profound, something that Serena could remember, and to show it to Serena that June was serious about their relationship, and that was a big step for her, okay? She didn’t want to mess this relationship up as she did with her previous two.

June tilted her head, looking at her assistant currently trying out her new watch.

Huh, maybe she could buy Serena a new watch.

No, wait, Serena just got a new watch from some fancy watch store. June didn’t really remember what was all that about, but something about the owner’s daughter loving Serena’s book or something?

Wait.

Serena still has her father’s watch. It was an heirloom from her grandfather, passed down to her father, and then to her before Thomas passed away. It was the only reminder of her father that Serena had left.

Well, time to find a watch repairman then.

* * *

  
When June found out that their birthday was only six days apart, June laughed, no wonder they always fought with each other. They’re both fucking Leo, stubborn woman, and have big pride, no one wanted to back down. Always too prideful to say what they wanted.

It wasn’t an easy task to take the watch from Serena’s study room, and June asked the repair store to make a fake watch to replace the real one while they fixed it. She didn’t want to risk Serena having a panic attack when she didn’t see her father’s watch where it belonged.

June gulped, her hands were sweaty, Serena already mentioned the sex thing since morning, and of course, June would not back down. So after a kiss and a happy birthday, they went out and about with their daily lives, as if it was just another normal boring workday and nothing special happened. She asked her boss to leave earlier though, and thankfully her boss said yes. Everyone at the publishing company June work already knew about her relationship with Serena, well they already have been together for two years after all.

And now here she was, nervous as hell with Thomas’ newly repaired watch inside the velvet box that she kept in her pocket, while Serena enjoying the food June bought from Serena’s favorite place.

“June, you’re like you’re about to pass out,” Serena said, breaking the silence inside their kitchen.

They rarely eat in the dining room; prefer to eat in the kitchen. The dining room was too big for just two people after all. They usually used it for a dinner party or something fancy like that.

“Yeah, no, I’m fine.” June tried to smile.

Serena touched June’s wrist on the table, June almost jumped because of how hot Serena’s hand was, or maybe she was cold because of her nervousness? “Try again. You know you can’t lie to me.”

June sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Okay, I know that you said you didn’t want anything for your birthday,” Serena smirked. “Other than fucking me until I’ve spent and probably sore until next week. I want to give something to you.”

“June, you didn’t have to.”

“I know, but I want to.” She pulled the velvet box from her pocket and put it down between their empty plates. “I want to give you this.”

Serena raised her eyebrow. “We’ve only been dating for two years, don’t you think it’s moving a little too fast?”

“What? No! No, this isn’t a ring, I promise.” _ At least not yet _. June thought to herself. “Just, open it.”

Serena sighed and took the red velvet box and opened it. She gasped when she saw what was inside. “But, how…?” She looked over at June. “I saw my father’s watch every day, I…”

“That was fake.”

“What?”

June took Serena’s left hand, gently she took off Serena’s watch, and placed it on the table. “I know you’ve been meaning to fix your father’s watch, but you never had the chance. So, I did it. I found this cool watch repair website, and thankfully, they can fix your dad’s watch.” She kept the part where it cost her a limb to herself. June kissed Serena’s wrist. “Look at the engraving behind the watch.”

“Oh.”

Serena gasped softly when she saw the back of the watch, her eyes getting watery. “June, how…”

“_ ’Because we are the Joy in this world _’. That’s actually a cool quote, you know,” June chuckled as she took the watch from Serena’s hand and she helped Serena wear it. “And you did bring joy into my life, well not that time when I was your editor, that was hell.”

Serena laughed between her cries. “The feeling is mutual, Miss Osborne,” and then she kissed June softly. “Thank you.”

June wanted to say _ I love you, I want you, I love you so much_, but settled with. “I’m glad I get to be the one that fixes your dad’s watch.”

It’s not _ I love you_, at least not yet.

“No one ever cared before.” Serena wiped her tears. “They usually just dismissed it, every time I talked about my father’s watch as if it’s something trivial.”

“It’s not trivial; it belongs to you, to your family, something to keep the memories of your father alive.”

Serena kissed her again, a little harder than before.

“June, I…”

And June could see a mixture of emotions swirl within Serena’s blue eyes. She wondered if Serena wanted to say _ I love you _as well. But it’s moving too fast, isn't it? They’ve been only dating for two years, after all.

“I’m glad I get to spend my birthday with you.”

It’s not _ I love you_, but it was close enough.

“The feeling is mutual, Miss Joy.” June smiled and kissed Serena one more time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I used Lizzie's and Yvonne's bday for this story because damn, they only six days apart, lmao, what are the chances. I forget to bookmark the site for watch repair tho, too bad, cause it looks cool
> 
> And yes, I'm still @nightwhite13 on tumblr, if you wanna talk about these two idiots or whatever, come and say hi


	22. Ghost

Between the two of them, June was the light sleeper one, while Serena was the type of person that didn’t have a hard time to sleep no matter the place and or the position, and she was dead to the world. June knew Serena’s habit, being a childhood best friend and all, but then she thought Serena already grew out of it since adulthood forced them apart. But no, Serena was still like that, even worse, she could sleep out in public space without a care in the world. At least she didn’t snore, much.

So June was the first that woke up when she heard the faintly steep toward their room. She turned on the lamp on her tableside and saw Nichole standing in front of the door, clutching her dragon plushie. Her face was so pale and she was sweating. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

But Nichole only shook her head and walked closer to the bed.

June pulled Nichole and wiped away the sweat from her face. “Come on, honey, climb up.”

Nichole did, and her movement startled Serena awake.

“June? What?” She rubbed her eyes and then gasped when she saw Nichole between them. “Nichole, baby, what’s wrong?”

“I had a bad dream,” Nichole said with a small voice. “I saw a ghost outside my room.”

“Oh, honey.” Serena kissed Nichole’s forehead.

“It’s okay, baby, you can sleep here for tonight. We’ll try to find a way to make the ghost go away tomorrow, okay?”

Nichole nodded her head and smiled at her mother.

June started humming lullaby while Serena was rubbing Nichole’s back.

“Maybe she’s not ready to sleep with the light turn off,” June whispered.

“We should buy a sleeping lamp tomorrow.”

“Yeah.”

It didn’t take long for Nichole to finally go back to sleep again.

“Go back to sleep, Serena. You have a morning meeting with your editor tomorrow, right?”

Serena nodded while rubbing her eyes. “Are you going to go to the office?”

“Yeah, but I can go there at ten, it's fine.”

Serena kissed June’s cheek. “Just try to get some sleep, okay?”

June just nodded before Serena went back inside the cover, hugging Nichole tightly.

Leaving June all alone, still humming the song her mother used to sang to her back when she was still around Nichole’s age.

The night was still long, but June didn’t feel tired at all. Looks like another sleepless night for her.


	23. Ancient

“Mommy, what’s this?”

“What is it, honey?” June asked before opening up the next box. She gasped loudly when she saw what her daughter was holding. “No way!”

“June, what is it?” Serena asked from behind her, she watched her wife approach their daughter. “Oh, that,” Serena said when she was finally able to see Nichole.

“You still have the mix-tape I gave you?” June asked in amazement.

“Of course, the CDs too.”

“No way!” June then proceeded to dig them out.

“Momma, what is that?” Nichole asked once again.

“That, darling, is called a tape.”

“Tape?” Nichole titled her head to the side, holding the tape with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

“Long before Spotify and Apple Music, we hear songs from this thing.” Serena looked over to her wife, still busy looking for the mix CDs she made for Serena a long time ago, back when they’re still dating, before adulthood forced them apart. “June, I asked you and Nichole to help me unpack, not making a mess.”

“Sorry, sorry, but I want–“ June gasped, “Holy shit, you still have it! Jesus, you even still have a radio!”

And it wasn’t just some ordinary radio, too. It was a CD radio cassette player. It was so expensive back then, why was she even willing to pay for that amount of money just so she could listen to June’s mix-tapes and CDs?

Serena pinched the bridge of her nose, great, now their daughter was curious about CDs and tape, instead of helping her packing her old stuff from Pamela’s house. But then again, watching June and Nichole hype because of her old CDs and tapes, it's worth it.

Okay, it was less worth it when she heard that damn song again.

“My mother hates this song,” June laughed when _ Heaven Is a Place on Earth _ suddenly filled the living room. _ Because you always listen to it all the time_. Holly told her one time, how obsessed June was with this song.

“Hey, it’s a good song. And for your information, I heard this song while thinking of you.”

Honestly, what could Serena say at this point? So she just shook her head in bewilderment, a small smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still wondering who is responsible for S3 soundtrack....


	24. Dizzy

One thing that June noticed from Serena was her perfume, being a rich person sure does nice. June couldn't really pinpoint the smell, exactly, but it was a mix of vanilla, coconut, and a little bit honey. Or maybe it was her body lotion, since Serena's skin was always smooth. June was always tempted to touch it, even though she would probably get slapped by Miss Bitch.

Today they were meeting at Serena's place, discussing the new chapter of her book. June swore to God if Serena made them debating about something trivial like last week, they were debating about doorknob, of all things, just because June asked why Serena made the doorknob as a triangle instead of, you know, round, like normal people do. What a weird universe Serena builds.

As soon as Serena opened the door, June caught a whiff of her perfume/body lotion, and June felt dizzy already.

"Miss Osborne," Serena said sternly. "You're five minutes late."

"Yes, I know, I'm sorry. My uber took a wrong turn."

God, she should blame Alma for making her notice Serena's features. That swan-like neck, that sharp jawline, and high cheekbones.

"June?"

June blinked a few times and saw Serena was watching her with concern.

And how could June forget the most important one, Serena's voice. There's a reason why she was the number one audiobook reader in this country.

June would give up everything just to hear Serena moan out her name as June pushed her into climax.

"Sorry, I'm fine. I'm just not used to this heat." June said as she walked inside. "Damn global warming."

"It's still a little bit chilly for me."

"God, you and your weird obsession with hot weather."

"I was born in Australia and lived in California for ten years before moving to Boston."

"I know. I've read your bio once."

June skipped the part where she found Serena's picture wearing a bikini or that one picture where she was holding her surfboard.

"If there's another debate about doorknob, I will leave. I don't care what my boss says about it."

"Don't worry, no more debate about doorknobs." Serena turned around to face June. "But maybe a debate about air vents."

"Fuck you."

Serena chucked and led June to her study room.

* * *

Summer comes and goes too fast for Serena’s liking, even though she already lived here for almost five years now, she couldn’t really let go of life back in Florida. She should though, because Florida has too many bad memories instead of good ones. She closed her laptop after reading the news about Olivia, at least she is still a thriving lawyer. Maybe she should contact her, just to ask how she’s been, but it's five years too late for a casual conversation.

Her phone vibrates, a call from June, her new editor. Well, not really new, it’s been almost six months and four chapters of her book. Working with June was something else, she annoyed the shit out of her. If it’s not because she’s always late, it was her face. Serena was tempted to punch her, but she was sure June would press charger to her if she punched her without reason. It was that damn annoying smirk, the one that she always showed every time she allegedly won an argument with Serena. And by winning Serena meant she was too tired to prolong their pointless argument and she was trying to be a bigger person, maybe she shouldn’t.

“Miss Osborne.”

“Hey, uhhh,” Serena heard the sound of the door closing on the other side. “I’m gonna be late for our meeting.”

Serena pinched the bridge of her nose. Of course. “How late?”

“An hour?”

Serena sighed deeply. “What are you doing?”

“Well someone spat a gum on me, and I have to cut my hair.”

Serena snorted, imagining June bald. “Your hair is already very short, June. Are you going bald?”

“God I wish. If I have your cheekbone I would do it in a heartbeat.”

Serena felt her cheek redden, it’s been happening lately whenever June compliments her, she would feel fluster and shy all of the sudden. “Thank you, but I like my hair as it is.”

“Yeah, don’t go short. Your hair is great as it is, pretty even.”

Serena tsked, trying hard to keep calm. “You need to take better care of your hair, June. I’ll give you my hairdresser number.”

June laughed out loud. “Thanks, but I would rather be able to eat for next week.”

“It’s not that expensive, June. Why do you always think I’m expensive? As long as you can mix and match, people won’t know the difference.”

“No, it’s fine, there’s a new place opened next to the office building, I’m just gonna go over there.”

“An hour, June.”

“Yes, Serena.”

* * *

Serena raised her eyebrow when she opened her door and saw June with her new hair. It was shorter than before, and it actually looks good on her. She was wearing a t-shirt with a band logo on it, Serena vaguely knew the band, and heard some of their songs from the radio. The hair made June looks, well, handsome. Serena never thought she would use that word to describe June, but here they were. She wanted to touch the hair.

“Is it that bad?”

Serena blinked a few times. “I’m sorry?”

“You’re looking at me like, well, like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I’m sorry, it just,” Serena could feel her cheek burning with shyness. “It suits you.”

June mumbled something, but Serena couldn’t really hear it because June was lowering her head. Serena let June step inside her house.

“Who spat gum at you anyway?”

“Some stupid jerk,” June growled. “Stupid idiot douchebag. He was…”

Serena didn’t hear the rest of the words because she was still looking at June’s new hair. What did they say? A difference between a crush and love was to see if you are still interested in them even after they cut their hair? And now June did, and that weird feeling that always makes Serena’s heart flutter or made her blood rush to her cunt and now she suddenly felt so dizzy just because she saw June with a new haircut and that goddamned smirk again.

But no, she was not in love with June Osborne, she was appreciating her beauty, that’s all.

And also secretly hoping that one day she could caress June’s hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me @ Yvonne: pls do voice acting again, I am begging u, and also I miss Miranda Lawson.


	25. Tasty

June shouldn’t be surprised that when it comes to cooking, Serena absolutely crushed it. She didn’t remember when it started, Serena cooking for her, but then it became a norm for them for Serena to let June take some of her cooking back home. The first time Serena cooked for her, was, well, actually Serena said she cooked too much and it would be a waste to just throw it away, so she gave some to June.

Apparently Serena loved to cook, June was sure it would be a crime for a woman for not being able to cook, at least that’s what Serena thought. She was really good at it too, not just cooking the main course, but cake as well.

Oh man, that cherry pie. It was so sinfully delicious; June never thought a pie could be that delicious. And it didn’t help either when Serena said:

_ “Would you like to taste my cherry?” _

_ June dropped Serena’s glass, it shattered near her, but June didn’t care. “I beg your pardon?” _

_ Serena rolled her eyes and pointed to the cherry pie. _

_ “Jesus, you could’ve said pie, you know.” _

_ Now, if Serena just rolled her eyes and scolds June for the glass, she would let it slide, thinking that maybe Serena didn’t understand the innuendo, but then Serena had the nerve to smirk while dipping her finger into the pie, and licking the cherry while keeping eye contact with June. _

It was safe to say that in the end, June tasted both of the cherries.

But Serena’s was tastier.


	26. Dark

June laughed as she watched Hannah and Luke throwing flour at each other, instead of making their dinner. It’s fine, it's the weekend, they deserve a little break. She kicked out from the kitchen when she decided to actually make food, they said it wasn’t her turn to cook. Well, she couldn’t fight back, so June accepted her fate and stepped back.

That’s when she noticed the new text on her phone.

While talking with Luke about what kind of pancake she wanted–yes they’re eating breakfast food for dinner because no one can stop them–June raised her eyebrow when she saw Serena’s answer to her previous text. It wasn’t really a text, more like a thirst message and a meme because June sent her:

_show me ur quarantitties_

June laughed before she sent it–she was bored, okay?–thinking that Serena would probably call her and have a word with her because June was one of the respectable editors, and she should act as such. It was funny to get Serena riled up for no reason, okay one reason, sex. But it's not like June could just go to her place like she used to. And Serena was still thinking that phone sex and sext are weird.

She didn’t expect Serena’s answer would be this short and dark.

_If I die because of Coronavirus, will you mourn for me?_

“What?” Serena probably listened too much MCR’s songs and forgot to eat, again, that’s why she’s emo like this. For someone that loved to cook, she sure does forget to eat all the time, especially when Serena was in the zone of writing, reading, or brooding. On the fun day, it was a combination of two.

“What’s wrong?” Luke asked.

“Nothing,” June waved her hand before typing out her response.

_Serena, stop listening to MCR and have dinner_

_I already ate, and I’m listening to FOB._

“What the hell?” Well, that was new. Not the listening to FOB part, but how quickly she texted back and a short one too.

“June?” Luke looked over to her, flour still all over his face.

“Uh, sorry,” June stood up from the chair and held up her phone. “Emergency, be right back.”

Luke just rolled his eyes because he knew it was about Serena, he just didn’t know in what context. Sometimes June thought whether Luke knew about her affair with Serena or not, probably he had a hunch or something, their relationship was also based on an affair, after all. June was bored with Nick, her… Well, Nick wasn’t really her boyfriend at that time, fuck buddy?–while Luke already married. June wasn’t really a married type, but then Luke divorced his wife and pursued a serious relationship with her. But it’s nice, Luke’s a good man, a good dad, it was a happy ending for such a shitty beginning.

And then Serena Joy Waterford came into her life.

Suddenly happy ending became so boring and mundane for June, so she sought out the thrill and passion she once felt with Luke, this time with Serena, and it was so much better than June anticipated. She was addicted to Serena, and she couldn’t get enough. June knew the feeling was mutual, if the way Serena fucked her into oblivion was any indication.

June locked the bathroom door before she called Serena. It didn’t take long before she answered it.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“_Nothing_.”

Huh, she didn’t even say anything about the whole _quarantitties, _this is bad. This reminded her of that time when she’s still Serena’s editor. “Well, you just asked me will I mourn for your death or not, so I assume there’s something.”

“_I said I’m fine, June_.”

June sat on the edge of the tub. “If you die…”

“_You want me to die?_”

June sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I was trying to answer your question, Serena.”

Serena sighed. “_Okay._”

“If you die, I would mourn for you. Because we…” What are they, exactly? “We know each other and…”

“_So you would mourn everyone that you know if they die_?”

“Of course I am, that’s how it goes.” _Maybe not you because you didn’t have a heart_ left unsaid. “I will mourn for you because I know you and you’re my friend.”

“_Are we even friends_?”

June bit her lips. “We’re not high school kids, Serena.”

“_Yes, because fucking me doesn’t make me your friend.”_

June sighed deeply and rubbed her throbbing forehead. Faintly she could hear something in the background, it sounded like the gospel songs Serena used to listen to while working. It took her four months before she told June that her mother was actually the singer.

“Serena, go and take a nap,” June said while checking the medicine shelf to see if she needed to buy something, she’s planning to go to the grocery this week, god she didn’t even like going there but nowadays it’s the highlight of her week. “You’ll feel better after you go to bed.”

_“I feel better after you fuck me.”_

If it weren’t because of the quarantine June would probably already on her way to Serena’s place, because Serena admitting such a thing is the closest she could get to Serena’s doing phone sex (June tried to persuade Serena to do phone sex and sext countless time, but it was like talking to a brick of wall). June huffed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Serena…”

_“I’ll take up your offer for the phone sex.”_

June dropped the empty bottle she was holding. “What?”

_“You heard me. I said…”_

“No, no, no, I heard you the first time. I just…”

She just what?

“Now?” June asked back. “In the middle of a freaking pandemic and mandatory quarantine?”

_“No time like the present.”_

“Not everyone has a freaking mansion for a house, Serena.” What, she thought June could just casually have phone sex with another woman while her husband is literally right next to her? “Where would I…”

“June, you okay in there?”

As if to prove her point, Luke just knocked on the bathroom’s door.

“Yeah, I’m fine, be there in a minute.”

“Okay, you better hurry or the kitchen will cover in flour.”

June waited until she could hear Luke’s voice from the kitchen, laughing at something Hannah did. After she’s sure she’s alone, June said. “Well, I’ll think about it.”

_“Now you’re the one that's mulling over this?”_

Not gonna lie, she did miss Serena, Luke’s an amazing husband, but there’s just something else about Serena that made June’s heart flutter in a way she hasn’t experienced before. Perhaps her heart already took a jump from the cliff and landed on the vast sea of uncharted feelings. The familiar feelings from sneaking behind their own husband, to that tingly tug of unfamiliarity in her heart every time she saw Serena’s blue eyes under the sunlight.

“You do hear that conversation, right? My husband just knocked on the bathroom door.”

_“Call me when you change your mind.”_

And with that, Serena ended their call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, I wrote this part like when around Italy went into lockdown? wow, can't believe that was three years ago. not dark enough, i think


	27. Coat

June dropped her next meeting with her up and coming writer when she got a phone call from her mother's hospital that Serena and Nichole were there due to food poisoning. According to the nurse it was from the catering at the ballerina competition place, since there was a massive food poisoning. The police were still investigating it, but a lot of people said it was because of a rivalry or something. Honestly, June didn't care about that now, she only cares about her wife and daughter.

"June, you're here," Dr. Tanaka greeted her.

Her mom used to tell June that he was the one that helped her while giving birth to June.

"Yeah, where are they?"

"Fourth room on the left, the one with the green door."

June is already moving even before Dr. Tanaka finishes. "You guys never paint it back to the original color?"

"I'm the head of anesthesia, June, not your mother."

"I'll tell that to the new head of the hospital." June chuckled as she walked away, navigating the rush of the emergency room.

* * *

June sighed in relief as she saw Serena and Nichole laying on one bed, while her mother was talking with very enthusiastic Nichole.

June noticed how Nichole was wearing her mother's lab coat.

"Mom!" Nichole yelled when she saw June.

June smiled and walked inside the room, closing the door on the way. "Hey baby"

Serena looked over to the door. God, she was so pale, paler than she used to. “June? What are you doing here?”

“My wife and kid just got poisoned, of course I’m here,” June said as she kissed Serena briefly on the lips, and then kissed the top of Nichole’s head. “You okay, pumpkin?”

“I am now that grandma is here,” Nichole grinned.

“They’re fine, June. But they need to stay here for a night.”

“Hi, Mom,” June walked over to Holly and hugged her.

“How about the other mothers and children?” Serena asked.

“Wait, how many are there?” June let go of the hug to get a better look at her wife.

“Almost everyone on the trip got poisoned. And everyone has been taken care of, they got the proper medication as we speak,” Holly gave them her doctor smile.

“Jesus, you guys were just a ballerina group, not a Hollywood artist or something.”

“Did you forget how fierce the regional competition was?”

“No, I didn’t, Serena. But I thought they wouldn’t cross the line and actually poisoned harmless children and mothers for the sake of the competition.”

“Well, now you know.”

“They already captured the perpetrators,” Holly said. “They were competitors from another state.”

“Jesus.” June rubbed her forehead.

“Mommy, are you gonna stay here with me and Momma tonight?” Nichole asked hopefully.

“Of course baby.”

“Can grandma stay here too?”

The adults in this room stay quiet.

Not that Holly had a bad relationship with June or Serena, but for the past two years Holly has been busy with the hospital since she was chosen as the new CEO of the hospital and rarely had time for them. And June was sure her mom didn’t have time now. Not the hospital was swamped with the food poisoning victims.

June didn’t really want to break Nichole’s heart, but thankfully, she didn’t have to.

“Of course I can stay here, baby,” Holly smiled. “But let me check on the other patients’ real quick first, okay?”

Nichole nodded and smiled widely.

“Thanks, mom,” June whispered before Holly left the room, while Holly just smiled and patted June’s hand.

When June woke up this morning, she never thought she would end up staying at the hospital after her wife and daughter got food poisoning and her mother finally spared a little time for her family and stayed the night with them. But here they are now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't watch Drop Dead Gorgeous, go and watch it


	28. Ride

At first, it was because someone at Nichole’s school teased her for not being able to ride a bike and then turn into her friends leaving her behind while those little gremlins went back home with their bike. So Serena takes the matter into her own hands and teaches Nichole how to ride a bike.

And now Nichole became obsessed with it and, dare she even say, started to become a sort of a bike gang leader. Alma was really proud of Nichole for having her own gang at such a young age. June just laughed when she heard it while Serena was fuming because no child of her would grow to be a delinquent. At first, Nichole’s obsession with bikes was cute but then it started growing concerning because she wanted to go anywhere with her bike. Anywhere. Even as far as her grandfather’s house, which was on the other side of the town.

Thomas almost dropped dead when he saw his granddaughter on his front porch grinning with pride while sweating all over the place at seven p.m. without his daughter or daughter-in-law nowhere to be found. Serena and June only took thirty minutes to his place at full speed after Thomas called them. That night, they had a really long talk about Nichole’s obsession with riding a bike, and it was the first time both of them were actually angry at Nichole. They took her bike and grounded her for a month for that.

And now that whole month was finally over.

Nichole was standing in front of Serena’s office room with a big smile on her smile.

“Momma.”

“Yes, baby?” Serena asked without looking away from her laptop.

“Remember what day is today?”

Serena stopped typing and looked over to her daughter, lowering her reading glasses. “Why? Your birthday is still months away.”

“Nooo, not that,” Nichole was grinning, she had that mischievous smile on her face. The one that June always had every time she was planning something.

And Serena was always concerned for the outcome because usually, she has to be the one that cleaned up June’s mess, or even bailing her wife out of the prison. Their first Thanksgiving together, June asked her to bail her out. At first, Serena wanted to leave her a day or two there, but then again revenge was far much sweeter when she tied June and forbade her to cum for hours.

“Then what is it, baby?”

“It’s been a month.”

“Of what?” As much as Nichole’s being June’s child, Nichole was very much hers as well. They both could never say what they want straightforward, and it drives June crazy. Her wife hoped that Nichole would grow out of it, since she still had hope, unlike her mother.

“Yougroundedmetoplaymybikeforamonth.”

“What?”

“Where is my bike?” Nichole asked with a small voice, and without looking at Serena’s face.

Serena pulled her glasses. “You’re still asking for your bike? After the stunt you pulled before?”

“I’m sorry, Momma,” Nichole said. “It wouldn’t happen again. I’ll tell you or Mom where I will go and I will not go to grandpa’s house without you again.”

“That’s not the point, Nichole Holly.”

“Awwww, but Momma, comeeee onnnnnnnnnnnnnn.”

“No.” At one point she was glad because she was the one at home because she was sure June would give up in a second when Nichole used that voice and those big blue eyes.

“Mommmaaaaaaa.”

“No means no, Nichole. That bike stays at your grandfather’s until further notice.”

“Whyyyyy?’

“Why? Because I couldn’t trust you for not doing that again.”

“I won’t, I swear! I miss my bike and my friends.” Nichole pouted.

“No.” Serena put her glasses back. “And don’t try to ask Mom or grandpa to give your bike back. Because I will know. And I will sell your bike.”

“Noooooooo,” Nichole whaled. “Okay, okay, I won’t ask again.”

“Good.” Serena smiled as she patted Nichole’s head even though she was sulking. “Now go and do your homework.”

“Hmph.”

God, she was really June’s daughter.

She rubbed her chin for a while before she finally opened up her Amazon account.

* * *

It was three weeks later when Serena called Nichole to the garage.

“Momma, what…” Nichole stopped talking when she saw what’s in front of her.

And then she ran while squealing in delight.

Serena stood next to a tandem blue bike–Serena wanted to buy the pink one, but she didn’t want to push her luck with June–with two seats for adults and one or child.

“What do you say? Want to pick up Momma from work today?”

“YES!” Nichole giggled in joy.

* * *

June almost dropped her coffee when she saw who was riding that tandem bike, she laughed out loud when she was getting closer to the bike and could see them clearer.

“No, no way.”

“Mommy, come on, we save you one spot!”

“No.”

“I never thought I married to a chicken.”

June shook her head. “Nope, it will not work in this scenario.” And she started walking.

“Mommy, come onnnnn,” Nichole whined as she and Serena started pedaling the bike.

“Don’t be such a chicken, June Osborne, and ride your bike.”

June stopped walking and throwing daggers at her wife. “I hate you for this,” she grumbled as she finally took her place, between Nichole and Serena.

And so the three of them rode the bike from June’s office, stopping for a while to buy some food and drinks, and then continue their journey home.

June couldn’t move a muscle after that, but hey, at least Serena offered to massage her. So it wasn’t that bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wanted something but this ended up just eh


	29. Injured

Cooking wasn’t really June’s idea to spend the weekend, yet here she was. But then again, there’s another reason why she’s cooking right now.

“Don’t put too much salt.”

June rolled her eyes. “I know, Serena.”

Her girlfriend, June still couldn’t believe that the up and coming actress and her childhood best friend, Serena Joy, just got out of the hospital after an accident at the set. Thankfully she just broke her right arm, well there’s nothing thankful for that, but at least she’s not dead, and they stopped the filming to investigate the accident. There’s a rumor going around saying they’ve been cutting budget left and right.

So after getting out of the hospital, June stepped in to help. Not that there’s much to help since Serena could take off the cast in a month, but June wanted to feel useful once in a while.

“Maybe I should reconsider that offer.”

“What offer?”

“For that animation movie.”

June hummed. “And also some offers for that audiobook.”

Serena chuckled lowly. “You’ll never let go of that, aren’t you?”

“No.”

It was actually their childhood dream, Serena as a writer and June as her editor, and they would build a publishing book together. Or something along those lines. But then one day the theater kid wanted to do something for Christmas, and they asked–well, more likely being forced by the school since the theater club has done enough damage with their previous show–for the Bible group’s help, and they picked Serena to represent them. Who knew the shy, nerdy, and gangly Serena was really good at acting.

So, ever since then, their dream drifted apart, Serena went out and became one of the most successful actresses (one time June joked how Serena’s decision to went to Julliard finally paid off, she didn’t comment on how it made her felt betrayed, but hey they’re here now) and June just become one of the many editors in the churning machine of the literature world. It’s not like they stopped being friends, but their world has become so vastly different and June didn’t know how they could fit with one another.

Serena kissed the corner of her mouth. “If you can cook for me this whole weekend, I’ll consider it.”

“Assuming I didn’t burn your house down by then.”

Serena smiled and stole June’s coffee, ignoring her protest. She managed to avoid June’s hand trying to take back the brown mug Serena bought for her during the last movie shooting in Tokyo. “You have to be nice to sick people, June.”

“Ha ha.” June laughed sarcastically.

Sometimes, when June woke up in the morning, she couldn’t believe her luck that Serena was still there next to her, snoring softly. Even if she’s a pain in the ass sometimes, but June wouldn’t have it the other way.


	30. Catch

“This is a lovely church, right?”

June just hummed while taking pictures of said church. The ceiling isn’t as high as she had in mind, but this will do. It is located in a small town after all.

June looked up to where the team leader was currently talking with the priest, probably asking about the history of the church and all that. Or probably he just wanted to avoid June because she didn’t really need to be here, she’s just the writer after all, but she came anyway.

“So the rumor is true then.”

June turned around to see a man wearing a suit behind her. Oh, wasn’t he one of the future mayor candidates? June saw some of his fliers around the city. ‘I’m sorry, what rumor?”

“That you’re going to make a movie here.”

“Well, the mayor already gave his permission.”

“Of course. How much did you pay him?”

June laughed. “Buddy, I’m just part of the survey team, that’s above my pay grade.”

The man nodded one more time, but he didn’t move and June didn’t have enough energy to deal with small talks.

“I was married here, three years ago.”

“Really?” Because jeez, how could she, a total stranger, knew that.

“My friends keep saying that she’s way out of my league.” The man chuckled. “They’re just jealous that my wife is beautiful.”

Before June could say anything, the man pointed to one of the women currently talking with a member of the survey team. “She’s my wife, Serena Joy.”

Yeah, June had to agree with his friends, the wife is a catch, way out of his league.

And then the wife, Serena, looked over to their direction, smiling at her husband and all June could think about was that she was royally fuck for the next three to four months.

“Your face is all red, miss.”

June shook her head. “I’m fine. Maybe I caught the flu or something. It’s allergy season after all.”

Yeah, sure, the flu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not what I had in mind, but the one I wrote before was really long it could be one story itself, lol


	31. Ripe

Her father taught her how to tell when a fruit is already ripe, how long it takes for a certain fruit to ripe, after all, she got her green thumb from her father. She always bought fruit, even though she was the only one that ate them. Most of the time.

Fred liked fruit, but he didn’t always eat it like Serena religiously. June on the other hand, she didn’t really like fruit. Not that she has any allergies or anything, she just didn’t like it, but if someone gave her fruit, she wouldn’t say no, but she prefers not to.

Earlier this week, Serena does her monthly grocery shopping, as usual, not thinking something worse could happen whatsoever. She did raise her eyebrow when she saw a couple buy lots of toilet paper, to the point Serena was sure she could say they were hoarding it. She told Fred about it when she got home, but Fred said they probably owned a restaurant or a motel. Serena said maybe it was because of that virus, the one that had the same name as the beer. Fred said the government probably already has the antivirus, so they shouldn’t be worried and panic buying like those people. They would be fine.

They didn’t speak about that issue anymore, even though Serena felt anxious about it, but she trusted Fred, and they have the money to buy the antivirus if they really need to, but Serena hoped they wouldn't have to. Fred said he needed to go to Florida for two weeks, George needed his help, he said. It was his code for _I’m going to have my weekly whoremongering_. It didn’t bother her anymore, well, it still bothered her, but not that much.

Not since she and June had started their own dalliance, under the pretense of having a meeting about Serena wanting June’s input for her upcoming book. Serena had June’s input alright, she gave them happily with that wicked tongue of her and skillful fingers.

Serena didn’t even remember what made her bold enough to do this, maybe she was bored, maybe she thought that if Fred did it, then she could too. Serena remembered when she proposed this idea to June, and she was damn glad she was right about June. It could end horribly for her if she was wrong, her reputation, for one, and of course her marriage.

At first, they went to the hotel, because where would you go if you’re having an affair?

But then June said, off-handedly, that it was too expensive to keep meeting up at the hotel, the nerve! June never paid for it, if anyone has to say about where they should meet, it was her. Serena said it was too dangerous to meet somewhere else, so June let it slide. Until one day June asked her to have lunch together, it threw her off a bit because June never asked her for something like this.

Serena almost fainted when she saw someone from the publisher, why did she agree to go with June in the first place? But June was all calm, saying how Serena wanted to ask her opinion for her new book, and how June was the only one she could tolerate–that one was true–and usually they would be left alone after that, not before June’s coworkers mumbled something that sounded like _Good luck, June._

Was she really that hard to handle?

She heard one of them say _“I've never seen her eat outside before_.” And that made Serena’s blood boil, but one look from June made her tone down her answer, it’s still harsh, according to June.

Serena rarely eats out, she prefers to eat at home. Not that she didn’t have the money, but the thought of using utensils that were already used by someone else made her nauseous. She knew they wash it, but she preferred not to use it, that’s why she always carried her own.

The first time she and Fred went on a date and Fred saw it, he begged her not to use it because it made them look weird, she was aghast at the idea, but she liked Fred, so she did it, for his sake. While with June she just raised her eyebrow, Serena’s skin bristled and asked _“What?” _But June just smiled and ate her food, she never commented about how Serena needed to clean her chair first with baby wipes, she even stole one of Serena’s expensive baby wipes, damn her.

One coffee meeting–she will not call it a date–turned into a lunch, dinner, and skipping Sunday Mass to eat McDonald’s. Serena wasn’t really a religious person–if she was, she wouldn’t be busy panting on top of June with three fingers knuckle-deep–but she has a reputation to uphold after all. So yes, most of the time, her intention of going to the church was not religiously, but for reputation.

Serena and her father used to skip Mass too, since her mother always leaving so early with her friends and her father wasn’t really a fan of going to the church because most of the time, people would just gossip around. Sunday Mass was practically turned into Sunday Gossiping, and her father disliked that very much. So he always took her somewhere: to McDonald’s and had Big Mac with McFlurry for breakfast, going to the park to watch the mime guy, to the library, and try out that Oregon Trail game.

They always went to the church after that, usually, thirty minutes before the Mass was over, so they would sit at the far back and always try really hard to stop giggling. People would look at them, but when they noticed Serena and her father, they just smiled and greeted them.

Everyone liked her dad, respected him even, but not her mother. Not that someone would do her harm, but they just smile tightly around her and never talk, not even a small polite conversation asking about the weather. Her mother, Pamela, was once a famous gospel singer, but she wasn’t anymore yet she was still acting like one, and demanding people to treat her as such.

So that’s why she always agreed to go to McDonald’s with June, despite everything. June was curious why she didn’t need to convince Serena as she used to when they wanted to go somewhere, but Serena felt June wasn’t that close with her to know about that story, even Fred didn’t know about that. But funnily, she told June in the end, three weeks after June asked. Serena didn’t tell her the whole story, she just smiled and said skipping Sunday Mass to McDonald’s reminded her of her father.

June nodded, saying how Serena must’ve been close with her father. She was, and she really wished her father was still alive; she felt so lost and needed his help to guide her back in the right direction.

They only went out for dinner once. Serena didn’t even remember why on earth they did. It wasn’t bad, per se, the food was amazing–June really has good taste when it comes to cheap food that tastes heavenly–, the restaurant wasn’t that far and the decoration was amazing, the staff was friendly, no one gave them side-eye, everything was good, perfect even. But dinner made it feel like… they were a couple, it’s too formal, too date-y, according to June’s word. And they’re not a couple, not really, they're just two people having an affair, and dinner made it look like they're actually a couple.

Until one weekend, Fred told her that he needed to go to D.C, helping George–their mutual friend, although Serena was sure George was more Fred’s than hers, even his wife Octavia–to handle a case. Now, Serena could easily ask George about this case, but she didn’t because she knew it was one of Fred’s tricks in the affair. And honestly, she couldn’t care less, it means she could invite June over. God, she sounded like a teenager.

And since the weekend for June means Luke and Hanna went to his family’s place without her. June told her that his parents weren’t really her biggest fans, seeing how their relationship was built on an affair, but at least they loved Hannah, and that’s what’s important.

Serena was jealous of June, of having Hannah, for having a child. After June told her about Hannah, Serena kissed her stomach, it was weird and out of nowhere, yet she did it anyway. She was jealous because she couldn’t have a child of her own. The first time they checked, the doctor said Serena was infertile. And then after a long and hard talk, they decided to have an IVF–it was heartbreaking for Serena, but it still theirs– they found out that Fred was also infertile.

Gone was Serena’s dream of having a child of her own.

And June let her be, kissing her stomach while they’re having sex, absent-mindedly rubbing June’s stomach before they went to bed or while they’re on Serena’s comfy chair, reading a book in silence together, Serena’s hand would find June’s stomach and just stay there. Serena really wished she could unlearn the word _pregnancy kink_, because June thought it was hilarious for her to keep doing that.

“_It made sense if I’m pregnant with your baby, Serena_.”

_No, Serena did not just imagine that._

_June chuckled. “But I’m not, and it’s weird. Good weird, but still weird.”_

So, that’s how they’ve spent their weekend in the past few months, with June staying over at her house until reality burst their bubble and they both had to go back to their own husband. These days, Serena enjoyed whatever she could get, since June was getting busier at the office, and Serena herself had begun writing her new book. Sometimes June came over Saturday because it was weird to come there at midnight, so June would spend the night at her office and then go to Serena’s place the next.

Today was no exception, well there’s one, June has been staying with her for almost a week now since Fred was gone to take care of a_ case_, Hannah went on a field trip, while Luke has to go to a conference or something. And it was strangely good, to see June every day, to hear her rambling, to have an actual discussion partner that would engage with her question instead of dismissing it.

Serena smiled brightly as she inspected the avocado in her hand, already ripe and ready to be eaten. She only managed to close the fridge before someone hugged her from behind, kissing her jawline.

“Good morning, Mrs. Waterford.”

“Mrs. Osborne.”

She kissed June back lazily, she never tired of kissing June like this, and it was addictive and far more dangerous than tobacco.

“Can you make the coffee?” Serena asked against June’s lips.

“Of course. Why do you think I agree to stay with you for a whole week if it weren’t for your expensive coffee?”

“Very funny. What do you want for breakfast? Don’t say me.”

“Anything. You know I’m not a picky eater.” June said as she turned on the TV.

With a grim face, the news anchor said.

_“And Italy is officially on lockdown today due to Coronavirus._”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So okay I'm late a year, whatever. It feels like five years ago when Italy first went into lockdown, hah.
> 
> Anyway, for anyone that read until the end, thank you. I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it. And yes, I'm still on tumblr, you can find me @nightwhite13


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